Renowned mountaineer Sirbaz Khan has become the first Pakistani to scale all 14 of the world’s highest peaks, each towering over 8,000 metres, without the use of supplemental oxygen, marking a historic milestone for Pakistan’s climbing community.
Sirbaz achieved this remarkable feat after summiting Shishapangma (8,027m) in Tibet, China, completing his decade-long quest to conquer the world’s highest mountains unaided by oxygen. Shishapangma, the lowest of the 14 eight-thousanders, was the final summit remaining in his record-setting journey.
Hailing from Aliabad in Hunza Valley, Gilgit-Baltistan, Sirbaz began his high-altitude mountaineering career in 2016 and has since emerged as one of Pakistan’s most accomplished climbers. He climbed his first 8,000-metre peak, Nanga Parbat, in 2017. Over the years, he has methodically taken on one challenging ascent after another, including Mount Everest, K2, Lhotse, and Annapurna.
In a statement, Sirbaz Khan credited his success to the prayers of the nation and the support of his team. “This achievement is not just mine, it belongs to all Pakistanis and the youth who dream of making their mark in the world,” he said. He also dedicated the accomplishment to fellow climbers who lost their lives in pursuit of similar dreams.
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Notably, Sirbaz accomplished all 14 summits without the use of bottled oxygen, a rare and elite distinction in the world of high-altitude mountaineering, requiring extraordinary physical endurance, skill, and mental resilience.
Tributes poured in from across the country following the announcement. Pakistan’s Alpine Club congratulated him for “raising the national flag on the world’s highest peaks without oxygen,” calling it a moment of immense pride for the nation.
International climbing communities also acknowledged his achievement. Sirbaz’s ascent of Shishapangma places him among a very select group of climbers globally who have summited all 14 eight-thousanders without supplemental oxygen.
As Pakistan’s mountaineering culture continues to gain global recognition, Sirbaz Khan’s historic accomplishment is likely to inspire a new generation of climbers and adventurers across the region.
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